Phase separation at all interaction strengths in the t-J model

Abstract

We investigate the phase diagram of the two-dimensional t-J model using a recently developed Green's Function Monte Carlo method for lattice fermions. We use the technique to calculate exact ground-state energies of the model on large lattices. In contrast to many previous studies, we find the model phase separates for all values of J/t. In particular, it is unstable at the hole dopings and interaction strengths at which the model was thought to describe the cuprate superconductors.